Manchester City made the Champions,  Man City, sports news,
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says his reign will be "totally" dependent on him leading the club to their first Champions League title, although he is "disagreeing".

City has won nine major trophies since Guardiola took over in 2016. But he was asked if success in Europe's premier cup would define his spell.

"It doesn't mean I agree with it, but I will definitely be judged," said the 52-year-old Spaniard. "Before my first game [with City] in the Champions League, people said I had come here to win titles.

"I said 'what?'" I didn't know, but I got it. Nothing beats anything I've experienced. "

The city will secure a place in the quarter-finals of the season if they beat RB Leipzig at home on Tuesday.

Their last Champions League triumph came in the 2021 final when they lost 1-0 to Chelsea. Real Madrid's failure denied City a return to the final last season, but they failed to reach the quarter-finals in Guardiola's first four seasons in charge at the Etihad Stadium.

The city was troubled against French sides Monaco and Lyon while suffering painful exits against Premier League rivals Liverpool and Tottenham, the latter after a thrilling VAR result at the Etihad Stadium proved to play a role. Pep Guardiola's spell at Man City is "incomplete" without a Champions League victory

In November, Guardiola, who won two Champions League titles as Barcelona coach, signed a two-year contract extension until 2025 and said he hoped to "stay and keep fighting for trophies".

"We didn't win the title but we did very well in the Champions League," said Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. "I know people base everything on winning, but I think there are a lot of situations in these types of games - the Madrid game, the Tottenham game, we deserved to go through and we didn't. Those are the moments of struggle when these things have to happen. “Obviously I want to win, but I know as long as we don't, I'm going to come here and ask the same question and I'm fine because people are going to judge you for it.

"We just want to win these games and be the best guy and the best team that we can be."

Guardiola tells de Bruyne to focus on 'simple things

De Bruyne has played 34 times this season and provided 17 assists, 3 more than the two-time Premier League player who played 45 times last season. But Guardiola has started the Belgium midfielder in four of City's last nine top-flight games and has told the 31-year-old to focus on the "simple things" to return to top form.

"It's been a difficult season for all of us, including me, because of the World Cup and many things," Guardiola said. "I won't find Kevin. Kevin has that ability. I want—and I've talked to him many times—for [him] to follow simple principles and do well.

"He's got incredible assists, goals, and passing ability, but I always think when [players] do the simple things, that ability grows and gets better... "When the simple things are done perfectly and we're in the right moment, it's easier, better to create incredible passes that he and only he can find."